Benrus Value?

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CGSshorty
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Benrus Value?

Post by CGSshorty » Wed Nov 24, 2021 1:37 pm

Gentlemen, a friend of mine is looking for some information and a possible value on this Benrus Type II Class A that his dad purchased while in the military. This isn’t really my wheelhouse, so I was hoping one of the resident experts could help me out.


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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by hoppyjr » Wed Nov 24, 2021 1:40 pm

Mike the River Rat or Mike the Doxa Whore are your best bet for real numbers, but I’ve seen these from a couple grand to maybe high 3’s. I’ve read that they can get to ten G’s.

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Benrus Value?

Post by Chocodove » Wed Nov 24, 2021 1:49 pm

That looks nice. Real nice. Especially with the provenance.

ETA: I know nothing about values or vintage watches in general
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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by demer03 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 2:00 pm

Oooo

Likey

These have been fetching around 3 in decent shape and serviced.
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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by CGSshorty » Wed Nov 24, 2021 2:11 pm

Thanks, Mike. It hasn’t been serviced. One of the things he asked me was if he should have it serviced or sell it as is.
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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by demer03 » Wed Nov 24, 2021 2:40 pm

CGSshorty wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 2:11 pm
Thanks, Mike. It hasn’t been serviced. One of the things he asked me was if he should have it serviced or sell it as is.
Have it serviced or he will get lowballed. My 2c
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by CGSshorty » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:45 pm

Is there someone who specializes in Benrus?
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Benrus Value?

Post by Blaine » Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:56 pm

Fantastic example. I have owned a few of the Type II and a couple of the Type I’s. I am not an expert by any means, but your friends example looks great:

The Bakelite bezel looks great. These can crack and delaminate

The crystal does not look to have any grazing. This is common to develop grazing on plastic crystals.

The case looks remarkable and the fix bars look perfect. I have seen plenty bent or folks that attempted to remove them

The crown should have a matte finish and a “dimple” in the center of the crown from what I remember.

This is a front load movement. So a watchmaker who knows how to service these is paramount. I have also seen casebacks that someone attempted to remove thinking this was a pop off caseback.

The caseback marking looks good as well.

One sold on MWR for over $3,000.00 and no mention of service and not a s nice looking as your friend.

Provenance is value, more than service IMHOP. If you friend has documentation from his fathers service and photos also could possibly increase value.

The folks on MWR can certainly provide more information as well on this piece. It is also a very good place to post should your friend decide to part with it.

These are becoming harder to find and certainly worth hanging onto. The case back on your friends should be cleaned, as a side note. Great example. I hope some of this was helpful.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Best Blaine

PS: I agree with Mike that , ‘River Rat’ I believe would also be able to assist.


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Last edited by Blaine on Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by CGSshorty » Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:24 pm

Thank you all. Great information for me to pass along.
"It's such a fine line between stupid, and clever."
David St. Hubbins

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by Ryeguy » Wed Nov 24, 2021 5:45 pm

I look at watches like I look at vintage cars. If it works, better to leave it unserviced with an unadulterated provenance. Let the new owner select their trusted service provider.

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by demer03 » Thu Nov 25, 2021 1:38 am

CGSshorty wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:45 pm
Is there someone who specializes in Benrus?
Jack did my last one.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by River Rat » Thu Nov 25, 2021 4:18 am

If there’s no problem with stem and movement there worth 2500-3500 the type I are worth more the type II less. Have your friend look at past sells on eBay it mite be worth more it’s a crazy market for these right now. The type I are like 4000 and more these days. Back in the day a paid a 1000 for mine more than double since.

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by River Rat » Thu Nov 25, 2021 4:30 am

MWR PX mite be the best place to sell he can avoid eBay fees but you never know a bidding war on eBay even with fees he mite do OK. In case he is thinking of selling.

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by Steve O. » Thu Nov 25, 2021 6:54 am

Blaine wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:56 pm
Fantastic example. I have owned a few of the Type II and a couple of the Type I’s. I am not an expert by any means, but your friends example looks great:

The Bakelite bezel looks great. These can crack and delaminate

The crystal does not look to have any grazing. This is common to develop grazing on plastic crystals.

The case looks remarkable and the fix bars look perfect. I have seen plenty bent or folks that attempted to remove them

The crown should have a matte finish and a “dimple” in the center of the crown from what I remember.

This is a front load movement. So a watchmaker who knows how to service these is paramount. I have also seen casebacks that someone attempted to remove thinking this was a pop off caseback.

The caseback marking looks good as well.

One sold on MWR for over $3,000.00 and no mention of service and not a s nice looking as your friend.

Provenance is value, more than service IMHOP. If you friend has documentation from his fathers service and photos also could possibly increase value.

The folks on MWR can certainly provide more information as well on this piece. It is also a very good place to post should your friend decide to part with it.

These are becoming harder to find and certainly worth hanging onto. The case back on your friends should be cleaned, as a side note. Great example. I hope some of this was helpful.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Best Blaine

PS: I agree with Mike that , ‘River Rat’ I believe would also be able to assist.


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You may not be an expert, but it sounds like you know a thing or two. :thumbsup:
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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by River Rat » Thu Nov 25, 2021 7:21 am

Mite of under estimated the price past sells of a type I and II seems to have gone up on eBay this price kind of blows my mind if true.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... 1&_fosrp=1
A little info from my favorite vintage diver info site
http://scubawatch.org/TYPE2.html
Image
This one out of my collection
That link of eBay past sells 6400.00 a record price still wonder if it sold for that. A little story on my watch I was wearing it one day and my dad's buddy a retired US Marine who served in WW2, Korea, Vietnam he did Marine recon in Vietnam they would shoot him out of a torpedo tube off the coast of Vietnam he saw my watch on my wrist and said dam a recon watch they were issued these type II the type I every one think's this is the only one issued for this type of work why they sell for higher price, So these type II always stayed at a lower price how they are all wrong.
http://scubawatch.org/type1.html
Link on type I
Another watchmaker I used was Nevada watch repair to fix the split stem on mine he also repaired my vintage Glycine airman he serviced it repaired the hacking wire.

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by demer03 » Thu Nov 25, 2021 7:53 am

I was just offered a pristine one for $3500 Mike. Never use fleabay for comps.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by River Rat » Thu Nov 25, 2021 8:04 am

One thing I notice like after Tudor restarted making the snowflake the vintage ones shot through the roof from a 2000-dollar watch to a 6000-dollar watch made collectors aware of them just like Benrus remaking them and showing up on Hodinkee same thing can happen here as the vintage Tudor Snowflake so a good possibility it sold for that much. Military watches are hot right now. The cheap days are long gone.

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by Blaine » Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:47 pm

Steve O. wrote:
Blaine wrote:
Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:56 pm
Fantastic example. I have owned a few of the Type II and a couple of the Type I’s. I am not an expert by any means, but your friends example looks great:

The Bakelite bezel looks great. These can crack and delaminate

The crystal does not look to have any grazing. This is common to develop grazing on plastic crystals.

The case looks remarkable and the fix bars look perfect. I have seen plenty bent or folks that attempted to remove them

The crown should have a matte finish and a “dimple” in the center of the crown from what I remember.

This is a front load movement. So a watchmaker who knows how to service these is paramount. I have also seen casebacks that someone attempted to remove thinking this was a pop off caseback.

The caseback marking looks good as well.

One sold on MWR for over $3,000.00 and no mention of service and not a s nice looking as your friend.

Provenance is value, more than service IMHOP. If you friend has documentation from his fathers service and photos also could possibly increase value.

The folks on MWR can certainly provide more information as well on this piece. It is also a very good place to post should your friend decide to part with it.

These are becoming harder to find and certainly worth hanging onto. The case back on your friends should be cleaned, as a side note. Great example. I hope some of this was helpful.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Best Blaine

PS: I agree with Mike that , ‘River Rat’ I believe would also be able to assist.


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You may not be an expert, but it sounds like you know a thing or two. :thumbsup:
Thanks Steve. These are terrific watches. Like so many here, had them when you could get the Type I and II for under a grand. The crown function, as mentioned, is everything on these. Jack at IWW serviced these. Not sure his status now. But again, I would not hesitate putting a high price on this example after the case back is gently cleaned even without a service.


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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by Blaine » Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:49 pm

River Rat wrote:Mite of under estimated the price past sells of a type I and II seems to have gone up on eBay this price kind of blows my mind if true.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... 1&_fosrp=1
A little info from my favorite vintage diver info site
http://scubawatch.org/TYPE2.html
Image
This one out of my collection
That link of eBay past sells 6400.00 a record price still wonder if it sold for that. A little story on my watch I was wearing it one day and my dad's buddy a retired US Marine who served in WW2, Korea, Vietnam he did Marine recon in Vietnam they would shoot him out of a torpedo tube off the coast of Vietnam he saw my watch on my wrist and said dam a recon watch they were issued these type II the type I every one think's this is the only one issued for this type of work why they sell for higher price, So these type II always stayed at a lower price how they are all wrong.
http://scubawatch.org/type1.html
Link on type I
Another watchmaker I used was Nevada watch repair to fix the split stem on mine he also repaired my vintage Glycine airman he serviced it repaired the hacking wire.
Always a joy to see your collection. Yours is wonderful.


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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by ncstate1201 » Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:18 pm

demer03 wrote:I was just offered a pristine one for $3500 Mike. Never use fleabay for comps.
Yeah that Type ii sat forever on ebay I was watching and it kept hitting relisted...the Type Is go for that kind of money though

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by demer03 » Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:24 am

ncstate1201 wrote:
Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:18 pm
demer03 wrote:I was just offered a pristine one for $3500 Mike. Never use fleabay for comps.
Yeah that Type ii sat forever on ebay I was watching and it kept hitting relisted...the Type Is go for that kind of money though

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
Agree
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen

Image

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by demer03 » Sat Nov 27, 2021 2:24 am

ncstate1201 wrote:
Fri Nov 26, 2021 8:18 pm
demer03 wrote:I was just offered a pristine one for $3500 Mike. Never use fleabay for comps.
Yeah that Type ii sat forever on ebay I was watching and it kept hitting relisted...the Type Is go for that kind of money though

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
Agree
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen

Image

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by dshap » Sat Nov 27, 2021 7:25 am

Do you guys know anywhere to get a NOS crystal for one?


As to value, these keep going up, I’d say at least 3500, but could probably ask 4000+.
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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by ncstate1201 » Sat Nov 27, 2021 8:01 am

There have been a few aftermarket crystals on ebay... I would check with Jack at IWW, I think he MAY know where to source them...nothing worse than buying one and having it not work

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Re: Benrus Value?

Post by BlueSky » Sat Nov 27, 2021 8:32 am

You guys never cease to amaze me with your collective knowledge and your pitching in to help. I rarely look at these threads because they're over my head. I can do a deep dive on a few subject matters, but these kinds of threads are impressive. :thumbsup:

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